Saturday, April 12, 2008

NOTHING FROM.........

......German Consulate, the different Chambers of Commerce - only answer received was by Donald Tsang's office:quoteDear Mr...................,Thank you for your email of 7 April. We have relayed the matter raised to the Security Bureau for follow-up. A reply will be given to you in due course.Yours sincerely, (J.............) for Private Secretary to Chief ExecutiveDonald Tsangs officeunquote

7 comments:

There is still a lot of confusion about what the policy is. I have heard the following from the media, from potential visitors to China and from expats:

- You can only get a 1 or 2 visit visa but it is only valid for 30 days - You have to have proof (a return ticket??) that you are going to leave China - Existing multiple entry visas will be honoured. - Existing multiple entry visas will not be honoured - they will be replaced with a single entry visa - You won't be allowed to visit China multiple times anymore - You will need an invite letter from a Chinese company

I and many friends work for the benefit of Chinese and Hong Kong companies and we visit China from Hong Kong several times a week. This policy is going to result in a lot of cost, lost business and a loss in goodwill.

With fare season rapidly approaching many visitors from abroad would base themselves in HK and travel several times into China to see suppliers and clients - so again that's going to become very difficult. Customers will look to do business with places that don't make it so hard to do business.

yes too much confusion and it seems there is "silence" for the moment:

Situation similar as described by you. It is not only a loss on our side + extra-costs (for example myself would need to apply for 8 - 10 Visas until October = around HKD 8,000 - 11,000 only for the visas) - also a big loss for our chinese business partners who are depending that we are visiting them to control production and settle problems in their favour - means helping them to get the things done in a proper way !It is a very unwise decision to introduce this "visa-ban" - we are not terrorists or trouble-makers. We just want to follow our business and make sure that everything goes smooth and well organized.

thank you for this up-date - uploaded the link. So we with the permanent ID will be the "lucky ones". But what about all the ones holding a HK ID card but not have finished the 7 years - means are not PERMANENT resident of HK. They all now need to go back to their home countries to apply for a 30 or 60 day visa w 2x entry and at the same time have to produce hotel booking and return ticket - how can this work ? The HK legsilator for tourism section Mr Howard Young who found this regulations "understandable" last week maybe will know the answer.

I got my reply from the security bureau today,after I had sent an email to the CE of HKSAR.

Basically the email just copied one of the press releases by the Chinese visa office in Wanchai - grammar errors and all! It totally ignored the specific questions that I had asked.

I think this just goes to show how spineless the HKSAR government is.This policy from the central government will affect the HK economy - if people cannot get visas here, they are less likely to come to the 'gateway to China'. But will our CE say anything - not a chance.

By the way, RTHK radio 3 are covering this issue on Monday morning. Why not give them a call?